This invention relates to swimming pool construction and in particular to a swimming pool structure utilizing a narrow buttress system to support the walls of the pool from pressure of water in the pool.
Swimming pools of the above-ground type conventionally utilize a plurality of vertical buttresses to support the walls of the pool and these buttresses form part of an integrated side-bracing system which utilizes rigid steel buttress braces at suitable intervals about the outer periphery of the pool. These braces may be anchored into the ground but, more likely, they will be triangulated with the bottom end of the buttress brace and, in some instances, they may be attached to steel straps that run underneath the pool.
While the above-ground pools referred to above having integrated, triangulated side bracing systems are quite effective in providing a strong wall support, the outside bracing systems can be somewhat unsightly and do require additional space around the periphery of the pool for their installation. Additionally, the outside brace systems can get in the way of users of the pool and people sometimes trip over the angled side braces with the result of possible injuries.
Numerous patent specifications are directed to above-ground swimming pool construction. Several examples of these are as follows:
U.S. Pat. No. 4,283,804 discloses an above-ground pool having structural strips extending across the pool that are bolted to the bases of the sidewall for preventing bowing of the sidewalls caused by the water weight;
U.S. Pat. No. 5,398,351 discloses an above-ground pool having a group of modular planar structural foam sections laid on the ground underneath the pool liner;
U.S. Pat. No. 4,782,538 discloses a reservoir assembly having transversely extending frame assemblies supporting opposed sidewalls that are integral with a base member that is disposed beneath the bottom wall of the reservoir;
U.S. Pat. No. 3,553,744 discloses an above-ground pool wherein each support frame is interconnected with a corresponding support frame at the opposite side of the pool by cable disposed under the pool liner;
U.S. Pat. No. 5,884,347 (Canadian application 2,231,920) discloses a support system for an above-ground pool having one or more buttresses supporting the vertical height of the sidewall;
U.S. Pat. No. 5,488,745 discloses an above-ground pool with opposing sides of base members being retained by a plurality of base straps;
U.S. Pat. No. 3,409,916 discloses an above-ground pool having strips extending under the pool and beyond each side that attach to and support the sidewalls; and
Canadian Patent application 2002/0029413 discloses a swimming pool for having extension strips that engage a crossbar at the foot of each leg.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,274,621 Diemond et al illustrates a pool structure made up of a plurality of curve linear patterns in which the vertical support members located at apices between circular components extend vertically of the outer surface of the support panel and coupling means extend beneath the pool to engage vertical support members at other apices.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,522,614 Gould (corresponding Canadian Patent 839,456) discloses L-shaped supporting posts having a leg of the L extending beneath the floor of the pool with the upper ends of the legs being interconnected by top rail portions or sections.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,315,278 Schatzki et al shows a pool structure not unlike that shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,274,621 in that the wall of the pool is of generally circular section or sections and these sections are joined at the apices by support members such as 12 in FIG. 1 and which have leg members 14 that extend beneath the floor of the pool to interconnect with a support member on the other side thereof.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,256,532 Lindsey et al shows an above-ground pool having outer support members with extension straps 25, 27 and 29 that extend below the floor of the pool to connect with support members on the opposite side of the structure. The outer, vertical support posts have upper and lower perimeter bracing beams that go around the periphery of the structure.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,789,435 Heisner illustrates horizontal connecting members interconnecting outside bracing means that rests on support plates.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,378,144 deals with support systems, the specific arrangement of the base members located beneath the pool. The system provides support for the walls using an arrangement of buttresses, cross-members, vertical beams and a plate that supports the walls against the pressure of the water in the pool.
Several of the above-described patents show the general concept of having upright support members with means extending beneath the floor of a pool to interconnect with support members on the other side of the pool. However, the form of the buttress/base assembly of the present invention is not shown in the prior art.
Specifically, the structure of the support posts, the associated base members and the splice braces that interconnect them are important improvements in the art.
The present invention addresses the shortcomings of the above-described conventional forms of above-ground pools by providing a narrow buttress wall support system which maintains the desired shape of the pool but does not have any outside triangulated buttress supports on the exterior of the pool. In accordance with the invention, all of the buttress supports are within the buttress posts and under the pool itself.
According to a broad aspect, a swimming pool structure according to the invention comprises a plurality of buttress assemblies spaced about the perimeter of the pool. These assemblies are laterally connected one to another in side-by-side relation and also linearly in that each assembly on one side of the pool is connected to an opposing assembly on the other side. Each buttress assembly includes a-foot beam which extends inwardly under the pool floor and a vertical buttress post on the outside of the pool and which is connected to the foot beam by splice angle brackets. These splice angle brackets give the buttress posts the strength to support the wall of the pool without outside, triangulated bracing. The composition of the buttress assemblies ensure their easy handling and erection in the field.
According to a further broad aspect the invention relates to a buttress support structure for a swimming pool wall comprising a plurality of buttress assemblies spaced about the periphery of the pool, said buttress assemblies being laterally connected one to another in side-by-side relation and each buttress assembly being linearly connected to another buttress assembly directly across the pool therefrom; each said buttress assembly including a (a) foot beam extending inwardly of the pool beneath the floor thereof, (b) a vertical buttress post on the outside of the pool wall and (c) brackets connecting said buttress post to said foot beam.
According to a still further broad aspect the invention relates to a composite support assembly for use in supporting the wall of a swimming pool, said assembly comprising a base member adapted to lay horizontally beneath the floor of the pool, an upright post member to be located on the outside of the pool wall, and means interconnecting the post and base members; said interconnecting means comprising a pair of spaced, generally L-shaped angle brackets having a first pair of legs secured to each base member, one on either side thereof and with their other, second pair of legs extending vertically at right angles therefrom